Domino, a small flat block used as a gaming object. The tiles are usually arranged on edge to form lines of alternating color or a particular total, and the points (also called pips) on each end can be added up to determine the player’s score. Dominos can also be stacked to create curved lines or grids that form pictures when they fall. They can also be made into 3D structures like towers and pyramids.
In addition to being a fun game, dominoes have been used as a teaching tool for number recognition and counting. There are many variations on the basic game, including blocking games such as bergen and muggins, where one player tries to empty his opponent’s hand, scoring games in which the sum of the end tiles is divisible by five or three, and domino puzzles that involve matching up adjacent tiles in order to make certain sequences.
The word “domino” comes from the Italian for “little hood.” A similar meaning existed in French as well, referring to a cape worn over a priest’s surplice. Early dominoes were fashioned with ebony black and ivory faces, which suggested the hooded cloak and surplice imagery.
When a domino falls, it creates a chain reaction. Similarly, when you start a new behavior, it often leads to other positive changes. Jennifer Dukes Lee, for example, started making her bed every day. As a result, she became more likely to take care of other areas of her home. This is known as the Domino Effect.
If you have ever watched a domino show, you have probably marveled at the intricate constructions built by expert builders before a live audience. These elaborate constructions are the product of many hours of planning, and they usually come to a spectacular conclusion when just a single domino is knocked over. This phenomenon is due to the fact that each domino has a built-in inertia that resists motion unless there is an outside force applied to it. However, once the first domino is tipped over, all that potential energy becomes available to push on the next domino.
For writers, this concept has profound implications for plotting a novel. Whether you are a pantser, writing off the cuff without a detailed outline, or a planner, using the Domino Effect can help you avoid scenes that don’t have enough impact on the scene ahead of them. It can also help you find the logical sequence of events that will lead your character to the next logical step in a story. Using this method can also give you more confidence that your plot will hold together if you are a pantser, and it will make your work easier to edit later on if you are a planner.